My Experience of Student Societies
Joining student societies at UoB transformed my university life. From performing arts to cultural groups, here’s how societies help you make friends and thrive.
If you are a student at UoB, your university life doesn't really begin until your calendar is full of activities with student societies. And honestly? That might be the best thing that happens to you here. As a student with various hobbies and passions to pursue, my societies are what keep me alive when my academic life tends to take over. UoB’s Guild of Students offers more than 350 societies for you to choose from. There is sure to be something that piques your interest, whether it's in the realm of games and activities, academic support, campaigns and volunteering, cuisine, religious beliefs, music and performance, or the media.
As a second-year student, I now have to divide my time wisely to ensure my academics remain my top priority, while also having some fun on the side. I joined the Guild Musical Theatre Group society as I have a great passion for performing arts. What better way to sing, act, and dance than in theatre?! We do shows every semester, and it requires a lot of time and commitment. I would say the Guild is now my second home because of this society. However much I complain about its challenges, joining this society has made my uni life the best it can be. It gives me a space where I can comfortably push myself to the fullest and share the experience with people who do the same. I have met my best friends in this society that I now cannot imagine going through uni without.
Other performing societies I have joined are A cappella and BUDS (UoB’s dance society). I love the arts, if you couldn’t tell. Having a group of people you can sing and dance with every day just makes me the happiest person alive, especially when it's your closest friends who share the same level of passion as you do. Joining societies based on your interests can help you prosper and challenge you to your limits. Your degree isn’t the only thing you’ll be getting out of uni! These societies are also a chance to meet people like you, and they could just be the best people you could ever spend your uni life with.
I am also an international student who fends for herself in a country across the globe so, I think it’s extremely important to join societies of the community you’ve left behind! It could be a society made up of people from your home country, language, or perhaps even your religion. I’m part of the Indonesian Society committee. It cures my homesickness a little bit just to know some people that I can talk to in my native tongue, as well as knowing that we’ve had similar experiences moving so far away from home. We share language, food, and our quirks-all the things that would make a foreign place feel a little more like home. Having a community that understands both your culture and your journey makes the distance much easier to navigate.
Societies are what turn university from a degree into an experience. They make you meet amazing people, open doors you never thought possible, and perhaps lead you to discover new versions of yourself. Whether it's performing on stage, helping run charity events, or just sharing late-night snacks after meetings, these moments create what you'll remember most.